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INTRODUCTION
The denition of rational aw acceptance criteria for girth
welds in pipelines subjected to axial straining within the context of existing codied fracture mechanics-based assessment procedures is problematic since these are essentially stress-based.
Although there is no fundamental problem in using such procedures, the solutions provided are not always the most suitable for
strain-based assessments. Nevertheless, with appropriate modications, assessments based on BS 7910 (BS, 2005) procedures
have been used successfully for a number of years to set acceptance criteria for pipeline installation methods involving plastic
straining such as by pipe reeling. The aw acceptance criteria
provided by these methods have, in many cases, enabled larger
aws to be accepted than those based on workmanship standards,
such as BS 4515 and API 1104. The benets to the industry
have included reduced repair rates without loss of integrity and
increased lay rates. The demonstration of integrity by means of an
existing and well-established assessment procedure is considered
important since it enables independent third-party verication to
be undertaken.
Another benet to industry in using fracture mechanics-based
assessment methods is that information provided by automated
ultrasonic testing on aw size (height and length) can be assessed
properly, since codes such as API 1104 and BS 4515 provide
workmanship acceptance criteria based on aw length, not height.
Nevertheless, for certain situations involving plastic straining, aw
sizes predicted by fracture mechanics procedures can be smaller
than those based on workmanship standards. Although it could
be argued there is nothing inherently wrong with such a conclusion because the workmanship criteria are intended for installation methods not involving plastic straining, industry experience
indicates that aw tolerance is better than predicted by fracture
mechanics analyses.
Received February 15, 2008; revised manuscript received by the editors July 31, 2008. The original version (prior to the nal revised
manuscript) was presented at the First Strain-Based Design Symposium
of the 17th International Offshore and Polar Engineering Conference
(ISOPE-2007), Lisbon, July 16, 2007.
KEY WORDS: Pipeline, girth welds, reeling, plastic straining, aw
assessment, J driving force, residual stress.